Teenspace
June Social Justice Club
Posted on June 03, 2021
Social Justice Club in June
As many of you are no doubt aware, the month of June is Pride Month. We are celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community with our monthly topic discussing how far the United States has come on the road to Trans rights, how far we still have to go, and how to be an ally on the journey ahead! As always, we encourage you to read more on our topic to get a well-rounded perspective and be able to contribute to the conversation. Register for our Social Justice Club here. Below are some books, movies, and graphic novels we suggest:
(available on Hoopla and DVD)
Nothing in society today is changing more than gender terminology, from LGBTQ, gay, homosexual, transsexual, transgender and more the terminology is changing constantly. Lift the veil on the world and explore the secrets of a world most misunderstand.
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out
(also on Libby)
"Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves." -- Amazon.com, viewed February 12, 2014.
Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution
"Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender History takes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events." -- Provided by publisher.
Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight For Gay Rights
(also on Libby)
"A dramatic retelling of the Stonewall riots of 1969, introducing teen readers to the decades-long struggle for gay rights" -- Provided by publisher.
(also available on Hoopla and Libby)
"One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever. If it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met." -- Amazon.com.
(also on Libby and BOCD)
Amanda Hardy only wants to fit in at her new school, but she is keeping a big secret, so when she falls for Grant, guarded Amanda finds herself yearning to share with him everything about herself, including her previous life as Andrew.
David Piper, always an outsider, forms an unlikely friendship with Leo Denton who, from the first day at his new school wants only to be invisible, but when David's deepest secret gets out, that he wants to be a girl, things get very messy for both of them.
A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities
"Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples. A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!"--Page 4 of cover.
June's Virtual Teen Pride Club: Everything PRIDE!
Posted on May 26, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Everything PRIDE! In the LGBTQ+ community, June is a time to celebrate and remember events such as the Stonewall Riots and the Compton Cafeteria Riot, and all other times queer people have fought for their right to lead the life they deserve. At Pride Club we celebrate our queerness year round, but we are excited to take it to the next level during June!
This month we are celebrating Pride Month with books, movies, TV shows, and other media that are about the history of pride, and also simply about loving yourself and being proud of yourself. In addition to our regular discussions, we will be doing a take and make craft and giving participating teens goodie bags with swag such as Pride flag pins, pronoun pins, and other rainbow goodness. As usual, we will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in June. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the June Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
- June 1st
- June 8th
- June 15th
- June 22nd with special guests from SAY-Social Advocates for Youth
- June 29th
For a complete list of June Teen Pride Club events.
Our Recommendations:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
And, watch LGBTQ+ Documentaries for free with your library card on our movie streaming service, Kanopy!
https://sonomalibrary.kanopy.com
May’s Social Justice Club / Club de Justicia Social de mayo
Posted on April 30, 2021
May’s Social Justice Club
Every week day through Zoom from 4-5pm, the Sonoma County Library has programming for teens 13-18 and Thursdays is Social Justice Club. Social Justice Club is for teens and librarians to meet and discuss different controversial issues happening in society. Each month we pick a theme which guides our conversations. If possible we also try and schedule members of the community to talk about these issues and how our teens can make a positive impact for change. For May the topic is “mental health” and we are lucky enough to have scheduled some guest speakers. Mental health is an especially relevant topic coming out of quarantine as people are feeling more isolated than ever before and facing unusually high levels of stress. To sign up for one or all of our meetings this month register here.
May 6th, we will have guest speakers from SAY (Social Advocates for Youth). SAY will be talking about all the different counseling services they offer and giving advice on how to care for your mental health. They will also be discussing all the other services they provide free to our community’s youth.
May 13th and 20th, librarians will present other resources on mental health including practicing self-care, suicide prevention, books and media discussing mental health, and how to handle stress.
May 27th, we will have a guest instructor, Ozlem, to teach meditation and mindfulness. We regularly hire Ozlem to teach yoga and meditation and she will be back Mondays during the Summer Reading Program to teach our Mindfulness Mondays for teens.
Club de Justicia Social de mayo
De lunes a viernes a las 4pm-5pm, la Biblioteca del Condado de Sonoma ofrece eventos virtuales para adolescentes que tienen 13 a 18 años. Los jueves son del Club de Justicia Social en la cual adolescentes y bibliotecari@s reunen a conversar sobre temas controversiales sucediendo en la sociedad. Cada mes elegimos un tema que nos guiará las conversaciones. Si sea posible, también intentamos invitar miembr@s de la comunidad a platicar sobre los temas y cómo los adolescentes pueden hacer impactos positivos para efectuar el cambio. Este mayo, el tema es la salud mental y tenemos suerte de haber confirmado la asistencia de unos oradores invitados. La salud mental es un tema especialmente relevante mientras salimos de cuarentena y podamos sentirnos más aislados que nunca además que llevar altos niveles de estrés poco usuales. Regístrate aquí para una o todas las citas de este mes.
El 6 de mayo tendremos oradores invitados de SAY (Social Advocates for Youth «Promotores sociales para los adolescentes»). Hablarán de los servicios de consejería que ofrece SAY y te darán consejos para cuidar tu salud mental. También platicarán de los otros servicios que proveen gratis a los adolescentes de nuestra comunidad.
El 13 y 20 de mayo, bibliotecari@s presentarán otros recursos para la salud mental, incluyendo prácticas de cuidados personales, prevención del suicidio, libros y otros materiales sobre la salud mental, y cómo manejar el estrés.
El 27 de mayo asistirá instructora invitada, Ozlem, que nos enseñará meditación y la conciencia plena. La biblioteca contrata a Ozlem con regularidad a enseñar yoga y meditación y ella regresará los lunes durante el Programa de Lectura de Verano para enseñar Yoga Lunes consciente para adolescentes.
May’s Virtual Teen Pride Club: Queer Memoirs and Personal Essays
Posted on April 21, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Queer memoirs and personal essays! You can select a book, movie, TV show, or other media that fits the theme based on recommendations by librarians or choose your own!
We will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in May. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the May Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
For a complete list of May Teen Pride Club events.
Our Recommendations:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
Nothing About Us Film Screening
Posted on April 19, 2021
Although it has been nearly 67 years since Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, schools in the United States are still deeply segregated and unequally funded. According to a 2019 study by the non-profit EdBuild, "predominantly white school districts get $23 billion more than their nonwhite peers, despite serving a similar number of children."
To raise awareness about this issue, high school students with the Epic Theatre Ensemble in New York City have created an educational show and film called Nothing About Us, which discusses segregation and racism in schools today. They are partnering with The National Coalition on School Diversity and Dodd Human Rights Impact to organize film screenings and community discussions in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and the Virgin Islands. These discussions will culminate in a national event on May 17, 2021, the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.
Sonoma County Library will participate by hosting a local virtual screening of Nothing About Us on Saturday, May 1 at 4pm.
The film screening will be followed by a community conversation about racism and segregation in high schools facilitated by teens from the Epic Theatre Ensemble. This event is open to all ages. We strongly encourage teens, educators, administrators, and parents to join the conversation! Spanish interpretation will be available.
Please register to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom link.
To view the trailer for Nothing About Us, visit: https://youtu.be/9jeEaSrrAzY
A local representative will be elected to share out our community’s thoughts during The Fifty State Conversation on May 17. Register for the national event at: www.epictheatreensemble.org/fifty/
April’s Virtual Pride Club: Musician Michael Mwenso
Posted on April 09, 2021
Join us on April 20 at 4 pm for a special session of Virtual Pride Club for Teens featuring musician, artist, and social commentator Michael Mwenso of the band Mwenso & The Shakes. Michael will be joining us to talk about his experiences as a Black LGBTQ+ musician.
Recently, Mwenso partnered with Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center to present his five-part online Black Music Series offering his unique and ancestral perspective on Black music as an African-born queer man growing up in London and New York.
Mwenso will be visiting us at Virtual Pride Club to have a small and personal group dialogue about music, identity, and changing the world. This particular session will be a unique opportunity to ask questions and share ideas with a world-class musician!
For ages 12-18.
To register, please visit: Michael Mwenso of the band Mwenso & The Shakes
Experience the music of Mwenso and the Shakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQwaEp0KwPU
Virtual Pride Club for Teens is a weekly club to discuss books and other media that showcase queer voices and experiences. Each month there will be a different theme. You can select books or other media that fit that theme based on recommendations by librarians or choose your own. This club is a great way to make friends, foster community building, and discover queer media all at the same time!
Aspiring Comic Writers Wanted!
Posted on March 06, 2021
Do you love comics and graphic novels, but have trouble putting your ideas into action? Have you always wanted to have your comics published for the world to see?
Starting on March 20th, 2021, Gio Benedetti, writer and illustrator, will be working with SCL to put on an 8 week comic workshop. In this course, Gio Benedetti will guide participants through each step in creating, writing, drawing and inking their own original 8-12 page mini-comic.
The class will go over techniques for writing for comics, graphic story-telling concepts, comic layout, materials, and - most importantly - following through to completion!
At the end of the 8 weeks, each participant will have their own 8-12 page mini-comic which will be collected and published as our collective Mini-Comic Anthology Volume 1. Registrants must be between the ages of 10 and 19 years old.
The comic workshop will take place on Saturdays 11-noon via Zoom. Supplies will be provided to registrants via curbside pick-up one week prior to the course beginning. This is an 8-week series of classes and will require a commitment to complete all 8 sessions. The comic anthology will be printed and circulated through the Sonoma County Library system for everyone to enjoy. Who doesn’t want to add published comic author to their resume?
Space is limited to 25 participants and will go quickly.
Course dates: 3/20, 3/27, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15.
No class on 4/3 to accommodate Spring Break.
Register here!
March’s Virtual Pride Club: Queer History & Historical Fiction
Posted on March 06, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Queer History and Historical Fiction! Queer history and the people that advanced our rights don't always receive the recognition they deserve, so it is important that we work to highlight the activists and moments that helped us reach where we are now. This month we will have a special guest presentation from folks at the Lesbian Archives of Sonoma County and OutWatch, Wine Country’s LGBTQI Film Festival. We will also delve more into local queer history by exploring Sonoma County Library’s very own History and Genealogy collections. Here are some links, resources, and of course books to get you thinking about LGBTQIA+ History!
We will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in March. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the March Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
- March 2nd Pride Club
- March 9th Pride Club
- March 16th Pride Club with special guests from Lesbian Archives of Sonoma County and Outwatch!
- March 23rd Pride Club
- March 30th Pride Club
LGBTQ+ Historical Databases & Resources that we recommend:
- Digital Transgender Archive
- GLBT Historical Society
- Pride Timeline
- NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project
- Making Gay History
- One Archives
- Lesbian Herstory Archives
- On Instagram: @lgbt_history
- Shades of San Francisco by the San Francisco Library
- The Lesbian History of Sonoma County with Tina Dungan and Shad Reinstein
Books:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
No Way, They Were Gay?
by Lee Wind (he/him)
Coming to a library near you April 2021!
February’s Virtual Pride Club: Bisexual and Pansexual Representation in YA!
Posted on January 23, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Bisexual and Pansexual Representation in YA! You can select a book, movie, TV show, or other media based on recommendations by librarians, or you can choose your own! We will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in February. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for February Pride Club
Here are some of our recommendations:
by Adam Silvera (he/him)
Recommended by Javier (he/him)
You can find this book here in a variety of formats.
by Michelle Ruiz Keil (she/her)
Recommended by Melissa (she/her)
You can find this book here in a variety of formats.
by Zack Smedley (he/him)
Recommended by Stuart (he/him)
You can find this book here in a variety of formats.
by Tehlor Kay Mejia (she/her) and
Anna-Marie McLemore (they/them)
Recommended by Terra (she/her)
You can find this book here in a variety of formats.
More Bisexual and Pansexual Representation in YA Books:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to go to the library catalog)
Upcoming!
March 2021!
Perfect on Paper
by Sophie Gonzales (she/her)
Upcoming!
May 2021!
Cool for the Summer
by Dahlia Adler (she/her)
Calling All Teen Filmmakers!
Posted on December 15, 2020
Sonoma County Library is having its first ever SCL Teenage Film Festival! Are you an amateur filmmaker? Has Tik Tok or YouTube awakened your passion for cinema? All Sonoma County teens ages 12 to 19 are invited to compete. Take some time over the break to shoot and edit your own 6-minute masterpiece. A jury will review all submitted entries and select films screened at the festival. Prizes will be awarded for the best films in various categories as well as audience choice.
Accepting submissions now through Feb. 7, 2021, please visit: https://filmfreeway.com/SCLTeenFilmFestival.
Official Rules:
- All short films must be written, directed, and edited by teens ages 12 to 19.
- The filmmaker/director must be a resident of Sonoma County.
- All entries must be teen-produced, and may be either a group project or individual work.
- Adult guidance and instruction are permissible, but the planning and production must reflect teen effort. Note, however, that adults may act in and assist with your film.
- Films may be on any topic, but must be G or PG rated in language and subject matter, as defined by the Motion Pictures Association, or they will be disqualified.
G – General Audiences
All ages admitted. Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children
PG – Parental Guidance Suggested
Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give "parental guidance". May contain some material parents might not like for their young children. - Title pages and credits should be included in your film.
- Unless relevant to the plot, please do not include bloopers in your submitted film.
- Films may be no more than 6 minutes in length including credits.
- Use of sound or video clips from other films, television shows, music videos, etc. within your submitted work is not permitted unless those clips are in the public domain or you have received written permission from the copyright holder. This includes the use of trademarked products or characters.
- Filmmakers can also use their own original music. Additionally, copyright-free, public domain, trade-friendly or creative commons copyright music can be used.
- Each filmmaker may submit up to two, and no more than, two films.
- All new footage should be made while following Sonoma County’s social distancing guidelines.
Legal Disclaimers:
By entering your film into the Sonoma County Library Teen Film Festival, the applicant agrees to all rules and regulations as defined in the official festival rules.
The applicant also grants a non-exclusive license, throughout the world and in perpetuity, to the Library to:
- Show their film to a non-paying public at a future Sonoma County Library Teen Film Festival, other partner festivals and promotional events.
- Display the film, in part or in its entirety, on the Sonoma County Library website, video streaming websites, and/or Sonoma County Library website and Facebook page.
